Area airmen welcomed home, honored

Monday

Aug 27, 2012 at 12:01 AMAug 27, 2012 at 8:11 AM

Senior Airman James Babineau of Medway made it back just in the nick of time. His wife, Melissa, was nine months pregnant and he was still in Afghanistan. "We were petrified that he wouldn’t make it," she said.

Laura Krantz/Daily News staff

Senior Airman James Babineau of Medway made it back just in the nick of time.

His wife, Melissa, was nine months pregnant and he was still in Afghanistan.

"We were petrified that he wouldn’t make it," she said.

But he did. Their daughter is now three months old.

Babineau was one of 43 Airmen welcomed home at a ceremony in Worcester Sunday afternoon. The group actually returned four months ago, but their formal homecoming ceremonies did not come until Sunday.

The Milford-based 212th Engineer Installation Squadron was honored at the Worcester Military Museum after returning from a
6-month deployment in Asia. They received individual awards as well as the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award.

"Everybody who went over came back home, back to their families, and that’s what’s important," said Brig. Gen. Gary Keefe, commander of the Massachusetts Air National Guard.

He addressed families and friends, including Melissa Babineau, who gathered in the museum to honor their loved ones. Some waved flags and stood with the Airmen as each received an award.

The group returned April 27 from six months traveling around Asia, including several locations in Afghanistan. They were gone for nine months total, including training.

"It was definitely tough because he was gone for seven of the nine months of my pregnancy," Melissa Babineau said.

The couple said they told their parents they were expecting over Skype.

When the doctor found out the baby's gender, Melissa asked him to write it down and put it in an envelope so they could find out together, also over video conference.

Babineau returned a week before Kylie was born.

Also deployed was Milford resident Andrew Garozzo, a staff sergeant in the squadron.

The group upgrades and installs technology in army bases, including computers, telephones, radio, radar, video and air traffic control systems.

Keefe called the 212th squadron his "blue-collar" unit, praising them for their humility and hard work.

Garozzo, 24, studies communications at Worcester State. He said the work they did in Afghanistan was more technical than what he learns in school.

And he said the environment is unlike anything else.

"You always have to be cognizant of your surroundings," he said.

The airmen said he was pulled to riot duty after Qurans were burned at a U.S. military base in February.

Wareham resident Master Sgt. Michael Mears said the teams sometimes confronted a mess of wires and often had to be creative problem-solvers and find ways to make sometimes old and failing equipment work.

Although Mears works with technology at his civilian job, he said it’s sometimes different in Afghanistan.

"The conditions there are so much different," he said, explaining how they sometimes worked in full body armor while outside the bases.

The goal, he said, is to have communications systems in place and teach Afghans how to use them so the equipment can eventually be turned over to locals.

Mears coming back has made him rethink his priorities.

While adjusting to a new role at his job as a technical support manager, Mears said he’s also spending more time with his three children, including his 20-year-old son who just finished basic training for the National Guard.

"Now I’m trying to find that groove again," he said.

(Laura Krantz can be reached at 508-626-4429 or lkrantz@wickedlocal.com.)